Harwich: £13.4 Million Drugs Seizure

The drugs were recovered by officers at 6am on Tuesday (29 January) from a lorry that had arrived at Harwich on a boat from the Hook of Holland.

When the vehicle and its load of soft drinks was searched, officers found approximately 35kg of cocaine and around 160kg of amphetamines.

A 44-year-old Dutch man, Farid Wenteler, has been charged with illegally importing a Class A drug. He appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates Court on 30th January and was remanded in custody until 21 February when he will return to the same court.

Charlotte Mann, Border Force Assistant Director at Harwich, said: “This was a major seizure and it demonstrates how Border Force officers are at the forefront of the fight to keep illegal drugs and other banned substances out of the UK.

“Working closely with our law enforcement colleagues we have managed to thwart this smuggling attempt and stop a sizeable amount of cocaine and amphetamines making it onto the streets of Britain.

“Drug trafficking is a serious offence and those convicted face long prison sentences.”